Stolen
by DesolateDreamer
Summary: When Lacy's mother falls in love with the young and handsome Carlisle, she doesn't want to see her family move on again so she desperatly tries to keep them apart. All human. AU. Carlisle/OC Only Carlisle is mentioned Rated T to be safe.
1. Sabotage

As my alarm clock went off with the loud reoccurring beeps like every weekday, I groaned and turned over in my bed and hit my hand down on the top till it stopped. It was barely seven in the morning. Why I had it set for this early? For absolutely no reason, apart from the fact I forgot to turn it off yesterday so I could sleep in this Saturday. I turned over and snuggled down under the warm duvet, trying to keep warm and get back to sleep. It was already light outside because I had glanced at my window, revealing the beams behind the curtains. They looked translucent in the light but you couldn't see past them in the dark. Pulling the bed covers over my head I still couldn't get to sleep, even with the dark. Well, now I was awake I might as well get up. I didn't want to eave my warm bed however, to be greeted by the cold air that I could already feel seeping through the sheets. So instead I lay awake for a while.

My room was small. It had always been a small room for me wherever we moved to. Yes, we move around a lot. This was our third house. The first was the house in which my dad still lived; my parents were divorce now, meaning we had to move away. Unfortunately, my mother wasn't the richest of all people so we ended up in some crummy house until we came here. Anyway… the walls were violet, black in the dark though, but badly covered with a thin layer of paint. It was supposed to have had a second coating but there had never been time too. My bed took up a whole wall, and opposite was the door. My wardrobe was at the foot of my bed next to a easel, and then a desk stood next to the door opposite the head of my bed. It had a laptop, covered by random papers and underneath was all my books. I didn't have many because I had got rid of most of them when we moved. Most of the books I read came from the library. Easel, you say? Well, yes, painting it one of my favourite pastimes, and the painting supplies fitted neatly on top of my wardrobe.

When at last I actually got up, I retrieved my dressing gown from the floor and quickly wrapped myself in the thing starting to shiver from the cool morning air. It was winter after all. Deciding I should get dressed, instead of asking for chill blains, I looked through my wardrobe for something warm. It wasn't hard since I'd sorted out the warm and cool clothes a couple of weeks ago. Pulling them on, I looked at my reflection in the inside mirror of the wardrobe and brushed my shoulder length, dark blonde, wavy hair. Thinking that it would be alright, I went downstairs on a quest for food.

Like my room the kitchen was small too. It had a couple of counters lining a wall and then a fridge. The oven was also on the row of counters. I felt like something hot so I put on the kettle and took out a mug from one of the cabinets above. After less than a few minutes it clicked so I poured out some hot water to make a cup of tea. I walked through into the living room and set it down on the coffee table. Putting the TV on, I flicked to a random channel I liked before heading back into the kitchen for some toast. My mother came down shortly, and made herself a cup of tea. She wasn't dressed yet, but like me she had wrapped herself in a dressing gown.

"You going out today?" she asked me, like she did most Saturdays. It had become a usual thing since I had gone to town… once.

"No, I have stuff to do." Was my reply that I used too often.

"Oh." She said, looking a little let down that I wasn't going out. "Well, Carlisle's coming round later."

I put down the toast I was eating a looking at her curiously. "Say what?" I asked.

"Carlisle's… oh did I not tell you about my new fiancée?" She realised she can't have because of my confused look.

"No…" I said slowly. "When was this?"

She smiled slightly. "Six moths ago, when I saw him at the shop."

My mother worked in a coffee shop as a part time job. It had been too hard for her to find any real work so she had resorted to working there. It wasn't that bad really. Once you get past the weird manager who owns the place.

"He has come nearly every day since we first met and well… things progressed."

I mentally rolled my eyes. Adults and love… They make it seem so cheesy.

"So, love, Mabye you can meet each other. I'm sure you'll get along."

I debated this for a minute. My mother had actually forbidden me to see my dad now. It have been just over two years since the divorce and since then I had never been allowed even a phone call. But she had never found out about the emails or letters. How persistent he would be if he found out about my mum and… what was his name again? Oh right – Carlisle. Just by his name I knew he would probably be old… At least his parents would be. Who calls their son Carlisle in this century?

"No thanks." I said. It would be for the better. I doubted that my mother would go very far with him if I didn't involve myself with this man. The further we stayed apart, the better.

My mother looked shocked. "What?!" she said exasperated. "What do you mean no?!" She stood up and switched off the TV. "I want you to meet my new fiancée! How could you say something so rude?!"

My brow furrowed. "I don't want anything to do with whoever this is. I don't want dad to get… replaced!" I stood up too looking angry.

"Lacy, I can't believe you would think of something like that! I am not going to replace him, you still have your father. I just like Carlisle now. Can't you understand?"

I crossed my arms, not really hungry anymore. "You liked dad when you married him." I said quietly, picking up my place and then walking from the room.

"Lacy!" My mother called after me. "Lacy!"

I ignored her and took my cup of tea upstairs. I was not going to meet some stranger who could be goodness knows what. Besides, if I let her do this then I might end up being expected to do more than just accept him. I might be expected to call him dad. I shuddered at the thought of calling some stranger a father.

So what I had meant by stuff was really finishing my newest piece of "the view outside my window". It was quite a complex painting but I loved it all the same. Retrieving the A3 paper from atop my wardrobe I set to work for the day, looking up every now and then out my window and going off to get clean water. As I had finished a large tree in the front garden I had hardly noticed someone entered my room. Guess who it was.

"That's a beautiful painting you've got there." He smiled at me, as I turned around.

I did not look pleased.

"Look," I said. "You're not going to win me over with compliments like you probably did to my mother so I suggest you stop trying. I get bored with people easily." I then turned back to my painting, dipping my brush into the water jar.

Bewildered he didn't move from where he stood. Instead he continued. "Do you take art at school?"

I turned round to look at him properly now. He was quite handsome, with light blonde hair. He seemed young actually.

"Umm… yeah." I said, though not in the harsh tone I had used before. Yet, it was strange he hadn't even got angry when I lashed out at him.

My mother came into the room and stood next to him. I really hoped they would shut it when they were finished talking with me. I hated it when people opened doors that were very clearly shut before and meant to be for a reason.

"Sweetie, this is Carlisle."

"I gathered." I said flatly, hoping he would get that he was not welcome, especially in my room.

My mother's lips thinned like every time she got angry in front of guests but didn't want them to get the wrong idea. He muttered something to her I didn't hear and she went a light shade of red.

"Sorry, but I'm kinda busy…" I started, wondering why I had apologised.

"Sure." Said Carlisle, but in a believing voice. He walked out, but my mother stayed behind.

"Stop being so rude." She hissed at me.

I raised my eyebrows. "I. Don't. Care." I hissed back.

She shook her head in an annoyed manor as if to say 'I'm going to give you a piece of my mind when he's gone'.

I didn't leave my room until lunch, when I had hoped that he would leave. Unfortunately, my mother caught me in the kitchen and told me he was staying the night and she wanted us to have a "family meal" together. I glared at her when she explained it because it was no more a family meal than a gathering of half a family with a stranger.

I had only two options – let them progress and do goodness knows what, probably ending up in marriage and maybe even siblings which would not go well with me. Or I could keep them apart, perhaps play dirty and pretend my mother still loves my dad. That would be interesting…

Getting a couple of snacks I went back upstairs and onto my laptop. I spent a while chatting to my friends and watching random videos online until I got bored enough to actually do some homework. I decided I was not going to leave my room till HE left. As if my mother would actually think I would attend a dinner with him. However when the evening came I didn't have a choice. Which means it was either "family dinner" or no internet for the rest of the year.

Muttering angrily to myself, I made my way into the dining room and sat down in the furthest seat possible from Carlisle. I could feel him watching me. He was almost burning me with his gaze. My mother came in through the door and sat down between us. I didn't even let my eyes wonder towards him. It was as if he wasn't worthy of my glance.

My mother broke the awkward silence. "Lacy, why don't you tell Carlisle about all the painting you do?" she said, emphasising her words like she was angry with me. I wonder why.

"Why would he want to know?" I spoke of him as if he weren't even here. He shouldn't be here.

She shot an angry glance at me and then a sorrowful one at him. I mentally huffed.

"It would be nice to know what you could have been doing all day, stuck up in you room. How bored you could have been…" he actually made the mistake to talk to me again.

"Yeah, well, you haven't seen me so you wouldn't know. But it's not really any of your business so…" I trailed off at the amazingly horrifying glance I was getting with every word.

Annoyed I stood up. "Look I'm not even going to bother trying to eat my dinner if all I'm going to get is angry expressions from you." I folded my arms.

"Anne, it's fine, really." He said to her. She sighed and looked up at me who was still waiting. Then Carlisle did something I sincerely hated him for. He moved his hand over to my mothers and then caressed it. I had to bite my tongue to stop me yelling.

"Lacy, sit down, please." She sighed, let down at the situation I made. I sat, thoroughly annoyed and angry. I didn't eat any more food. I merely gave Carlisle evils for the rest of the dinner. Eventually my mother and him got up into the other room. I sat at the dinner table and folded my arms and putting my head down. A small tear fell down my check and was absorbed by my top. How could this be happening to me?


	2. Proposal

I laid awake for most of that night, trying to demolish the thoughts of my mother and that guy sleeping in the same bed. It sickened me. I wanted them to be apart, and for my dad to be back with her but I knew it would never happen. I tried to think of ways that I could split them up. The idea about my mother still being in love with my dad was good, but I didn't think he would believe me over her – especially with the ways I had been acting towards him. On the other hand I could always just run off back home like I had done once before when we first moved away. But my mother had just grounded me for a while once she had got me back. Why they couldn't just get along I had no idea.

I looked at my clock. It was barely two in the morning. I could hear the sounds of the sheets moving next door. My mother groaned. Lovely. What a great sound to hear at two am. I was just thankful the bed wasn't hitting against the wall. That would have been downright disturbing. Knowing that I would never get to sleep now, even if I wanted to, I decided to send a quick email to my father. He deserved to know that my mum was with someone now, right?

Quickly, I got my laptop from the desk and took it over to my bed where I snuggled back under the covers. The floor had been freezing. I opened up my emails.

_Dad, Mum's got a new fiancée. I hate him so much. He's way too young for her. I don't know anything about him though. I didn't even know until today that he's been with her for six moths already! Don't worry; I'm trying to keep the bells as far away from them as possible.  
Wish me luck!  
Lacy x_

I closed the laptop, knowing I wouldn't get a reply until at least tomorrow and decided to waste time going to the loo. I was lucky it was Sunday tomorrow so I wouldn't have to go to school. While I was washing my hands a sudden thought hit me. What if he made us move? This house was way to small for him and my mother… and if they were expecting kids or something.

I cursed under my breath and turned around to see him in the hall way. I glared at him and pushed past. Carlisle was the last person I wanted to see right now. My mothers stupid giggling came from her bedroom. Not wanting to see anything, I didn't look in through the open door when I passed it. But I did say aloud. "God, keep it down." in an annoyed tone.

She continued to giggle for about ten more minutes and then she said drunkenly "I love you!" My hands curled into fists as I was sitting in my bed, my nails digging into my palms. More laughter, but this time – he was laughing too.

I didn't wake up the next morning because I hadn't slept. I applied make up under my eyes where there were dark circles and got downstairs as early as possible. I know that they would lie in till about ten if they were up at two. However, to my surprise they were already in the kitchen… holding each other.

My mother, who was shorter than him, was looking up into his crystal blue eyes. He was looking into her dark green eyes. He had his arms round her waist, and she was playing with his short blonde hair. It made me want to be sick, the way the looked at each other.

"Oh Lacy!" my mother noticed me come in. "I've got something to tell you." She turned to look at me, but still held onto Carlisle. My law hardened. I knew it was going to be one of three possibilities. Either he was moving in, we were moving out, or they were getting married. I didn't like the sound of any of those.

She let go of him, but he still had his arm round her, looking pleased. She held up her hand which bore a ring on her finger. It looked expensive.

"We're getting married!"

That was the last straw. I must have looked pretty mad because both their faces dropped. I was glad they were upset.

"Love, what's wrong?" she asked me sadly.

I shook my head angrily. "You already know what's wrong!" I screamed at her. "How could you want to marry… him!?" I had tried to stop myself but it was too late now.

"Lacy, please, I love him." Tears were shining in her eyes.

"No! You don't love him! It's hardy even been six months! It's way too early!"

My mother let out a sob. Carlisle looked like I had just torn his heart out. "Love can't wait!" she replied in barely a whisper.

"What kind of person proposes after half a year? How can you know?!"

My mother seemed to get her control back now. "Lacy, go to your room." she said.

I folded my arms. "As if I would want to stay in his presence any longer anyway!" I spat.

"I said go to you room! Not another word out of you!" She yelled at me.

I kicked the door on the way out, making it bounce back on it's hinge and slam behind me. I ran up to my room and slammed that door too and slid down on the other side so I wouldn't be disturbed.

Barely a couple of seconds later I could feel someone trying to open the door and the handle went down, but eventually they gave up. Not long later they knocked on my door. I didn't open it, instead I took a random piece of paper from my desk without getting up and scribbled "Leave me alone!" on it and slid it under the door. They finally got the hint. At least I thought they had until strangely I got a neatly written note back saying, "I'm sorry."

Confused I wrote back, "You should be," even though I didn't know who it was. They knocked again. I just gave up and opened the door this time. I realised that it had to have been Carlisle all along because my mother wasn't this patient with me. I didn't glare though, instead I looked disbelieving.

"What do you want?" I grumbled.

"To apologise." He replied. Wow, he was really trying hard to win me over. "I know I don't seem like a good person right now. With your parents…" he trailed off trying to find the right words. "not getting along."

I folded my arms, still not letting him win. "I just want us to be civil. Your mother didn't know that this would happen, but she wants us to be a happy family."

"Yeah, well, she ruined that, remember?" I looked away from him. "She won't even let me see him anymore."

He paused, with a sorrowful expression. "Can't you just give me a chance? It might work out…"

I cut him off. "No. You don't get it do you? My mum just went through my dad like he was nobody. She can let him go, but he's still my dad! All she had to do was walk away. I can't do that. And letting you in will be just like going through men like my mum does. I don't want to just act like he's nobody." And with that I shut my door in his face. He had to admit I was right though.

I stayed in the comfort of my room till he finally left that evening. My mother came up and yelled at me for a while for being so rude but I was far from giving him the wrong impression. She told me that they were getting married no matter what I said so I'd better just accept him and move on. Yeah, as if that was going to happen.

In bed that night I actually got to sleep, which was bliss after last night. I didn't want to get up the next morning for school, but I knew I would have to. I was alone in the house though, so even though deep down I knew I could skip today, I didn't bother. I was already in so much trouble thanks to Carlisle.

I walked to school like I always did and to my surprise I was early. None of my friends were waiting for me so I just listen to my iPod for a while till they would. Looking around the cafeteria, I noticed there were only a few people here catching up on homework or complaining about their early bus. I sat down at an empty table and waited silently listening to one of my favourite songs. At last my best friend Jane came and sat down next to me. I turned down the volume.

"Little early aren't you?" she said. Her hair was down today which was unusual. However due to the cold weather many people didn't wear their hair up anymore. She had straightened long brown hair, covering her shoulders. It was actually really messy if she didn't do that every morning.

"I wanted to get out of the house." was my reply. "My mum's getting married and his horrible stench reeks."

"That bad, huh?" she said disappointedly.

"You're so lucky you didn't have to watch your parents' lovey dovey crap." I made an expression as if to say, 'it's icky'.

"So you don't like him?" she asked. "Who is he anyway?"

"His names Carlisle." I rolled out the name as if it was disgusting.

Her eyes widened. "Oh my God!" she cried. "Your mum's getting married to Dr. Cullen!" She practically squealed it as if it was a miracle. A couple of people looked round at us and then started gossiping to themselves.

"What?" I said questioningly.

"Do you not know Dr. Cullen?!" She cried. "He's only a really handsome fit doctor at the hospital!" Ah, so that is why I didn't know him. I never needed to go to the hospital.

"What's the big deal?" I asked. "I don't care who it is. All I know is that they're going to ruin my life." I grumbled.

Jane shook her head. "Lacy, you continue to amaze me." She muttered. "Do you know how nice that guy is?"

"That explains a lot." I replied. It was true. It would explain why he was never mad at me for being so rude to him. "But it's really disturbing when you're trying to sleep you know."

She understood what I had just said amazingly. She was very understanding.


	3. Disaster

"Sorry to interrupt, but could I speak to Lacy for a minute?" one of the teachers stood in the doorway. I had had my head in my arms on the desk, not listening to what Mr Smith was talking about. Why would they want to speak to me? Was I in trouble? He nodded at me to leave and carried on with his speech. I stood up, trying to figure out why I was being sent out of class to be talked to.

"Lacy," she started. I was tempted to say, yes that is my name… "We've had a call from the hospital."

I looked at her in surprise. "The hospital?" I asked.

"Yes, Dr. Cullen's sent someone to pick you up. They'll be here in about five minutes."

I avoided her gaze. "Oh." I said simply.

"Your mother was… she was in a car crash."

I swallowed. "Oh." I said again. She started walking down the corridor leaving me standing motionless. My mother had been in a car accident? Was she even ok? She had to be alive at least; otherwise I wouldn't be going to the hospital. But it had to be serious if Carlisle was sending someone to pick me up.

I walked back into the class and muttered something to the teacher before grabbing my bag and leaving. My friends gave me questioning looks but I couldn't say anything.

Sitting in reception, it felt like hours went past instead of seconds. I could hear the clock ticking loudly and it made me want to scream or cry. Anything.

At last someone came for me. It had only been a few minutes, yet the time it took for them to come and for us to get there felt like hours.

I couldn't speak. I felt so numb. All I could do was stay hopeful – I couldn't give up hope… or she would too.

I got inside the hospital after what seemed an eternity. I couldn't cry… at least not yet.

Seeing her was the worst sight I had ever seen. Her body lay on the bed, so broken, so motionless. It was so unreal I couldn't bear it.

"She's stable for now." said the familiar voice of Carlisle from a chair behind me.

I stood by my mother's bed. She couldn't even breathe without those machines. It made me feel sick to watch her like this.

I heard him stand up behind me and he laid a hand on my shoulder as I began to cry.

"We just have to wait." said Carlisle. "Until we get the test results back – then we will know."

I swallowed back the lump in my throat. "She will be ok? Won't she?" My voice cracked.

"Do you want me to tell the truth or lie?" he asked.

"If I tell you what I want to hear, how will I know what is the truth?" I laughed humourlessly.

"You won't." he replied. "But, we could be wrong."

A tear ran down my face and I brushed it away.

There were a few moments of silence until I spoke again. She was still with us. _Us_.

"Carlisle?" I asked. "How- how bad is it?"

He sighed softly. "Are you sure you want to hear-?"

"Just tell me." I cut him off, impatiently. I had to know. Would she be better again?

"In the car crash," He began. "The air bag didn't go off. The car, it…" His voice was pained and he removed his hand from my shoulder. "It was faulty."

I turned to face him for the first time, with tearful eyes. His were glistening in the light.

"She's lost her heart."

I shook my head. "No. No, she's still alive."

"She's on life support." He stepped backwards, sitting back down on the chair with his head in his hands.

"No!" I cried. "No that's not true!"

Carlisle didn't answer.

"Lie to me!" I could no longer hold the tears. "Tell me it's not true!"

No answer.

I turned back to my mother. "Mother, please, you can't leave me." I whispered.

"The only hope…" said Carlisle. "Is if someone comes in with fatal injuries."

"How long?" I asked. "How long do we have till she-," I took a quick breath.

"A few hours."

I stood up, exasperated. "Can't you do anything? I thought you were a good doctor?!"

Carlisle shook his head. "All we can do now, is wait."

. . .

We waited together. We waited till the sun went down outside. Waiting.

It was strange, hoping someone would die so my mother would live. I prayed someone would be kind enough to let her. I wished I could give my heart to save her.

And at the same time, I knew Carlisle was suffering every bit I was and maybe more.

I never gave up hope on my mother. She had to be ok. She had to be. If there was one thing for her left to do, it was to keep alive, to keep existing for _us_. For me and Carlisle, and my father.

It was exactly three am when my mother was lost. I always remembered the early hours of that morning when I cried for her. Carlisle was strong for me. He hadn't cried like I had done, but he had cried.

I stayed with her for a while, loosing track of the time. I wanted her heart to beat again. I wanted her to breathe again. Why was she stolen from us?

I don't remember how Carlisle had pulled me away from her body. I only remember watching the empty dark streets as we travelled in the car. I couldn't cry anymore then.

I felt so lost, so empty and alone.

Even though I knew she was gone, it felt like she was still here. It was so unreal that she was gone. It couldn't be true… it couldn't.

I must have shattered myself from crying for hours. My eyes slowly drifted closed, into a thankfully, dreamless sleep.

. . .

The first day was the hardest. I awoke in what I later found out was the guest room of Carlisle's house. It was fancy and modern. There was the aroma in the air making it seem so expensive.

I lay awake in the room wondering why it had to be her. Selfish, but I had not wanted my mother's death. I didn't want anyone's death.

"You have to eat something." Carlisle insisted. "What do you want? You can have anything."

"I don't want anything." I said tiredly.

"Eggs, bacon, cereal, toast…" he listed.

"I'm not hungry." I replied.

"At least have something to drink then."

I shook my head, not able to muster enough energy to speak anymore.

"You only think about yourself." said Carlisle, with a hint of anger in his voice.

I looked up, surprised.

"You're not the only one upset about her, you know. I loved her. I loved her very much. You never even thought about what she wanted. Everything you did hurt her. I know it was hard, but was moving on that hard?"

I couldn't reply. I knew all of this. I was so ashamed of myself already. Didn't he know it?

"Do you not think I know all of this?" My voice cracked. "You think I could accept you in a weekend? I was still upset about us leaving my father! You two were together for six months! I would have, in time, if you had let me!"

I turned away, starting to cry again. Of course, my mother and father would never be together again now.

"I'm sorry." He said after a moment. "I'm sorry I overreacted."

"Yes you did." I mumbled.

"Please," said Carlisle. "Eat something."


	4. Consequences

I had thought the first night was the worst, but I was wrong. As the nightmare-like vision went on, it grew worse and worse. A routine started. Every day was the same for days. It was just a blur. I didn't even know what I was doing anymore. After a week the pain set in, like I had been on pain killers and now it was wearing off.

One night I had been trying to get to sleep, but ended up crying instead staying awake. Carlisle heard me.

"What's the point," I asked to no one in particular, sobbing. "in this, if someday that's going to be everyone else."

I turned over in bed and saw his silhouette in the doorway from the light in the landing. He didn't say anything, and turned towards his own room. I hadn't expected an answer, but I wished for one.

That was the first night I called one of my friends. I hadn't made contact with the outside world in a while. Sure, it was late, but I needed to talk to someone close. Carlisle wasn't close. How could I talk to him? Besides, he was just as hurt as I was.

"L-Lacy?" asked my close friend Trudy sleepily. "What-where…?" she yawned.

"Hey." I croaked. My voice sounded hoarse from crying.

"Where have you been?" she asked. "You haven't been at school… and you didn't call or email, we've all been really worried. No one knows anything. Are you sick?"

I would have laughed if I hadn't been so blue. Trudy always worried about everything, whether it would rain on a trip we had planned, or if she would fail tests in class…

I imagined a scene in my head of our conversation.

"_My mum died."_

"_Oh my god Lacy! I'm so sorry! Are you ok?!"_

"_Yeah… I'm ok. Hanging on."_

So I lied.

"Um… yeah I have the flu. Sorry I couldn't call you. I've been quite sick so I couldn't call."

"I'm sorry to hear that." replied Trudy. "I hope you get better soon, we've got a load of essays for next week, maybe I could come over and help you catch up sometime?"

My heart sank slightly. I didn't even know when I was going home.

"I don't know… Did Jane tell you about my mum's fiancé?" I asked. Well used to be…

"Yeah?" she said interested. "Dr. Cullen right?"

"Yeah… well he said I'm pretty contagious so she won't let me see anyone right now." It would be so hard to tell her the truth.

"Oh… ok." Said Trudy disappointed. "Well, let me know."

"Yeah, course." I replied, smiling slightly to myself. She believed it.

There was a short pause. "So what's been happening? I've missed… how many days has it been now?"

"Umm, no offence, Lacy, but it's nearly eleven. I was actually going to bed… couldn't you call tomorrow?"

Oh… right. "Oh, yeah, sorry." I said sheepishly.

"Night."

"Night."

I listened to her hang up and then the dial tone for a few moments. How could I ever tell her and my other friends? They would never look at me in the same way for goodness knows how long. I would be known as the girl whose mum died. What if I became so down and depressed my friends would ditch me for someone more fun, more lively.

Another tear fell from my cheek as I put the phone down on the bedside table and lay back on the bed. Sleep was harder that night. I had to move on. I didn't want to, but for the sake of my sanity, and Carlisle's, and everyone else's, I had to.

"I think I'll go out today." I announced at breakfast the next morning.

"Oh… ok." replied Carlisle, surprised.

"I need to get…" a lump in my throat formed, I swallowed it back. "My things." I said finally. "You know… clean clothes."

He nodded. "Yes." His words were forced, like he didn't want to speak.

"Maybe, I could get some shopping or something. Do you want anything?" I offered.

Carlisle shook his head. "No thanks."

I stood up and washed out my glass in the kitchen sink.

Awkwardly I cleared my throat. "Do you know when… I mean…" I sighed. "The funeral plans."

"Sorry?" He looked up at me as I leant on the kitchen counter.

"The funeral." I repeated.

There were a few long moments of silence. There wasn't an answer.

"Sure." I said, pretending he had answered and left the room.

_God, he must be dying_, I thought, heading outside.

The morning was still early so there weren't many people around outside yet, mostly dog walkers walked down the road. I walked down to the main road and found my way to home from there. It wasn't too far away.

As I neared the house, I heard my breathing become more erratic but kept myself under control. Slowly, I reached for the front door key buried in my pocket. My hands shook as I tried to push it into the key hole.

The hallway was exactly how it had been left when I left the house for school a few days ago. A coat, which had fallen down in my haste to leave for school, lay crumpled in a heap.

I shut the door behind me and bent down. The coat belonged to my mother. I held it close to me, breathing in my mother's perfume. I swore to myself I would never forget the smell.

I lingered at my home for a long time. It was mostly my mother's room I stayed – hugging her pillow, laying on her bed. I sat at her dressing table, looking at everything I could find of her.

Eventually, I collapsed. I laid my head in my arms on her dressing table, letting my clothes soak up the salty tears.

. . .

My friends found out the hard way. My mother's death had been in the local newspaper. Apparently the press had been trying to talk to Carlisle but I didn't even know. He had obviously refused any sorts of questioning. I was grateful.

As the days became weeks, Carlisle became more and more distant, only talking when he needed.

One evening, we were sitting in front of the TV when I snapped.

"I'm sick of this." I said bitterly, turning off the TV. "I know I didn't know you well before, but I'm sure this is nothing like yourself. People always speak highly of you… they say you're the good guy. So why are you just…?"

He cut me off. "Why do you think, Lacy? Take a guess."

"That is not a reason, damn it. Get a grip! She's gone and she's not coming back." The words hurt me like a knife, but I didn't care. We both needed this.

"I'm… trying." He looked away, sounding almost defeated.

"No, you're not." I muttered angrily. "You're just sitting here… not even talking. You were the strong one in the beginning."

Carlisle stayed silent for a moment. I sighed and turned to leave, thinking he wouldn't answer.

"It was my fault." It was so quiet, I almost missed what he said.

"What?" I asked. Any anger left in my voice had gone.

"I should have saved her…" he whispered.

I walked over and sat down next to him. There were tears in his eyes as he watched me.

"It wasn't your fault." I looked forward, at the blank screen of the TV, unable to see him crying. My throat hurt like I would too.

"You did the best you could." I continued. "It just wasn't enough…"

There was silence for a while. I looked down.

"You were always the strong one, Lacy." Carlisle said, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder.

I tried to smile, but it didn't reach my eyes, I knew that. "Who knew." Another tear escaped my eye, and a sob from my lips.

"Come on." He said softly, moving his hand to my other shoulder, as if asking for permission to comfort me.

I permitted the comfort, gladly, wrapping my arms round his middle. "I miss her so much already." I whispered, as my tears stained his shirt.

"Me too." He replied, stroking my hair comfortingly.

We stayed up all night, that night, talking about my mother, remembering every single memory of her we could. I didn't want sleep. I wasn't even tired.

When the morning came, both of us seemed to be a little lighter after shedding the emotion from inside the previous 'day'.

"I'll make you a deal." He offered over breakfast.

I raised an eyebrow.

"You go back to school, and I'll go back to work."


	5. Me too

The day before I was going back to school, I was whiter than a piece of paper. Now Carlisle and I had begun the slow road to acceptance, the days were gradually getting easier.

In the pit of my aching heart, I knew Carlisle would be lonely with only himself to accept with, but I needed to be with someone I knew better. Even if it was only for a while. So, I sprung it on him later that day.

"I think I would like to stay with my dad for a while." I said, as we were getting lunch. "I know it's kinda of…" I trailed off. "Well, it would be nice."

I looked up from the fridge and met his stare. His eyes were sad, confused.

"What?" I asked as the fridge shut slowly. "What's that look?"

"I thought you knew…?" said Carlisle slowly. "Didn't your mother tell you..?"

"What?" I asked, starting to get annoyed. "What do you mean tell me? What did I know?" I folded my arms.

"Lacy… You're father's in jail."

My eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. "What?" I whispered. "That's not true." I shook my head, looking away from his stare.

"No. No." I repeated, shaking my head. My gaze snapped back. "It can't be because we've been emailing and…" Slowly it soon began to make sense. _My mother wouldn't let me see him_.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I thought your mother told you."

"She didn't lie. It's not true." I looked up at him with tearful eyes. "It's not- he can't…" My bottom lip trembled. "It's not true!" I cried, turning round and legging it up the stairs.

I sat with my back against the guest room door and buried my face behind my knees. Just as I had tried to get past the overwhelming tragedy, something else crept up threatening to pull me back down.

It was obvious my mother had kept it a secret from me so I wouldn't get hurt. I would rather have had been forbidden to see my father than know he was in jail. Hell, I would have still been forbidden, even if I knew. What had he even done? He was my father... Father's weren't supposed to be bad. They weren't supposed to do bad things to get them into jail. How had I never heard about it? But... who would have bought it up in conversations? It wasn't the type of thing to talk about. In fact, it was one of the forbidden subjects. Who asked other people how they were coping about their father in prison? Nobody did.

So what did I have now? Just some random person my mother had intended to marry before she passed away. Carlisle had nothing to do with me really... It was only my father who I would have counted on, but he wasn't _there_ for me to count on. He was locked away with the rest of the people who broke the law. This meant I was alone. What would happen to me after Carlisle was done and too depressed to let me stay with him anymore? No wonder I had been there so long. No wonder my father had completely ignored my mother's death. He hadn't even emailed to ask me if I was ok. No visit to see if I was alright. There had been nothing.

After I had finally pulled myself back together I got rid of any evidence I had been crying and made my way back downstairs into the kitchen.

"Lacy..." stared Carlisle sympathetically.

"I'm fine." I muttered, getting my food. "Just tell me... What were you planning? What happens when you don't want me around anymore? Where do I go?" I started to get emotional again.

"Lacy, that's not going to happen." He said simply.

I looked at him blankly. "What?"

"I mean – I've been thinking about it for a while. How would you feel about adoption?"

Woah! This was certainly unexpected. Carlisle wanted to adopt me?

"Your mother would have wanted this." He continued. "She wouldn't have wanted you to go to a new home. And I would love you to stay here... with me."

I was the happiest I had been since my mother died. We hugged tightly.

"Me too."

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**So thats the end! Seriously - this is the last chapter. Don't worry I'm not that mean - I'm making an epilogue :P**

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	6. Epilogue: Two years Later

I was sitting outside when I first herd the scream from the house. It wasn't blood curdling, or cold. But Carlisle wasn't here which made the situation more frightening.

Esme was going to give birth.

Carlisle had met Esme roughly two years after my mother had passed away. I had accepted it easily. After all, it wasn't right to object. I had learnt that long ago. Esme was nice. She would be a perfect mother for her unborn baby. But first it actually needed to be delivered.

It got dark quickly in the winter's evening. The hospital corridor seemed almost silent. Visiting hours were over. I wasn't allowed inside.

Carlisle came out of Esme's room and I looked up. He smiled at me and motioned for me to come in. I stood up silently and slowly walked into the room, awe spread across my face.

Esme looked tired and tearful as she held the baby. Her baby. She looked up with such happiness before whispering. "It's a boy."

His name was Edward.

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**So this was probably the shortest epilogue ever, but I wanted to include something. Besides - the last chapter was the last one :P Let me know what you think please! **

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